Calvin g-



0. e. UDELL.

FOLDING TABLE.

(ModeL) Patented Dec. 18,1883.

FFICE-G CALVIN G. UDELL, OF NORTH INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,500, dated December 18, 1883.

I Application filed March 1, L381. (Modem 1'0 all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, CALVIN G. UDELL, citizen of the United States, residing at North Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tables with folding legs, in which the hinged legs at each end of the table operate in conjunction with asliding brace-bar and a slidecase; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide the legs at each end of the table with hinges, which also act as braces for the legs when opened; and, second, to provide the cross-rail of each pair of legs with a brace hinged to said rail, and adapted to slide in a case and securely fasten the legs open or shut. These objects I accomplish by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan View of the bottom side of the table, with the legs at each end folded up. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the table, with the legs at each end opened and made fast. 3 represents, respectively, a plan view of the lower side, a similar view of the upper side, and a side elevation of the slide-case for the brace-rod to operate in. Fig. 4 represents, respectively, a front and side elevation of the rai1-pivot plate, to which one end of the brace-rod is pivoted. Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the bracerods. Fig. 6 is a top view, enlarged, of the casting for the legs, and Fig. 6 is a side View of the same.

Similar letters refer to similarparts throughout the several views.

Arepresents the table-top, to the lower side of which, near each end, are securely fastened the battens E B. Each pair of legs B B B B are united together by their respective cross-rails O C, the legs projecting above the upper edge of the cross-rails, as shown in Fig. 1. These upward-projecting ends of the legs are each provided with a pivot-hole to receive the pin 6, by which it is hinged to the casting D. The casting D is of peculiar construction, similar to that shown in the enlarged views of Figs. 6 and 6.

At one side, near one end of the web D of the hinge D, are two flanges, it, the upper part of the flange thaving a projecting part, 1.1; Between these two flanges it, in the space 3', is fitted one end of the batten E, and the casting D is made fast thereto by screws passing through the holes y ;1 into the end of the batten. The casting D is further secured to the top A by screws passing through the holes or slits 8 8'8". The screw-hole s is in the end of the bracket h, the screw-hole s is in a projecting lug at the end of the web D, and the screw-hole s is in the stop-lug p. 6 represents the pivot for the legs to operate on.

In setting up the table, one casting D is secured to one end of the batten E and to the table-top, as before described. The legs 13 B are then placed in position, with the pivot e in its pivot-hole in one leg, after which the other casting D is placed on the other end of the batten E, with its pivot e in its respective hole in the leg B, and the hinge D is then secured to the batten and table-top, as before described. Thus the pair of legs at each end of the table are mounted on pivots.- hen the legs are opened, the rear side of each leg comes in contact with the stops it and their front sides in contact with the stops 1).

In the central part of the lower edge of each cross-bar G G is secured a pivot bracketplate, F, which is of peculiar construction. Thus the bracket part is U-shaped, with a screw-hole, r, at the union of the two legs Z2 Z1. The ends of the legs b b are each provided with an L-shaped bracket, r 1', each of which is provided with a screw-hole for securing the bracket to the edge of the cross-bar. Those portions of the L-sha-ped brackets r 7' which form an extension of the legs I) b are each provided with a portion of the pivot, as shown at 'w w. Thus the pivot-bearing is in two parts, and when. the legs I) b are spread apart the pivot end of the rod G is inserted between them, and when the legs 6 b are closed together the two parts to w of the pivot enter the eye 2' of said rod and form a pivot-bearing. The pivot-bracket is secured to the crossbar 0, as shown in Fig. 1, by screws through the brackets r 0* into the edge of the cross-bar and a screw through the hole 1" into the side of the cross-bar. The slide-case E, Fig. 3, is a casting, having a long slit, m, near one side, with a narrow bar, 1:, at one side and the hollow case H at the other side. is provided at one end with a recess, d, and at the other end with a longer recess, 01. The hollow part 11 is provided with a central stud, a, on which is secured a spring, a, as shown. Two of these slide-cases are used, which are secured to theunder side of the table, as shown in Fig. 1. The brace-bars G G are duplicates. One end of each rod is provided with an eye, 1', to receive the pivots war/- of the bracket-plate E, and the other end is made T- shaped. The T-shaped ends of the rodsG operate in the slits m of each case B, with the T-head sliding in the hollow part H. -"Each rod has a finger-hold, f, for operating it.

When the T-head is in the case H, one end of the spring a presses against it on one side with sufficient force to force the other side of the T-head into the recess (1 of the case H, and thus the rod and legs are held firmly against the under side of the tablewhen closed, the stop as engaging with one side of the T- heads 9, and preventing the legs from opening until released by pulling the braces toward the opposite side. Thus when it is desired to open the legs the operator places his fingers on the lug f and draws the rod Gto the opposite side of the slit m, thus releasing the end of the T-head from the recess d and stop 56. The legs may then be opened until the rear side of the legs strikeagainst the bracket 70 of the hinge and their front sides against the stops 1). At the same time the T-head slides in the slit m to the other end of the case,when the other end of the spring 64 operates against it to force it into the recess d at that end of the case, and thus form a good strong brace for the legs and table, as shown in Fig. 2.

The stop an, above referred to, consists of a separate piece formed with a long portion, 1, one side of which is made straight and rests against the outer side of the bar 1:. The piece 1 is formed with a swell or shoulder, 2, which,

The narrow strip 0 I when the stop is in position, lies within the recess (1. The piece 1 is also formed with a hooked end, 3, and this formation produces a recess, 4, into which one arm of the T end 9 enters when the legs are folded. Thus itwill be seen that the swell 2 acts as a stop to prevent the bar G from being retracted out of the recess d, and thereby preventing the legs B from being accidentally thrown open.

WVhen it is desired to fold the legs up, as in Fig. 1, their brace-rods G are operated, as before described.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a folding table, the top A, provided with the castings D, the battens E E, secured to said castings, and the legs B B B B hinged to said castings, in combination with the T- hea-(led brace-rods G G and the slide-cases H, secured to the under side of the table-top and provided each with the recesses d d, slot m, spring-studs a a, and stop 00, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2.. The combination, with the table-top A, the slide-casings H, legs B B B B and bracerods G G, of the castings D, each provided with the flanges t 1/, stops it and p, pivot e, and lugs s, s, and s, and the battens E E, sub stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The tabletop A, with its castings D, slide-casings H, battens E E, and the bracebars G G, in combination with the U-shaped brackets F, provided with the shoulders r and pivot-studs w w, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CALVIN G. UDELL.

\Vitnesses:

G. H. BENNETT, E. O. FRINK. 

